Maheen Athonu
Professor Nadell
Macaulay Seminar- The Peopling of New York
Who am I?
This is a question I’ve often struggled to answer. I can describe myself in various ways. I can talk about my background, my hobbies & interests, and my goals. But in the end, determining who a person really is can’t be described in a few words or sentences.
Even though my parents were born and raised in Bangladesh, I consider myself first and foremost, an American. I was born in and lived my whole life in Queens. I grew up watching basketball instead of cricket, and have been excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Going to Bangladesh only twice (for about 3 months total), I haven’t had the same influences as those of my parents and cousins. Instead, I’ve been more influenced by my friends and have adopted American customs and culture.
My friends and family are a big part of who I am. Growing up as an only child with no one except my parents living in the United States, I’ve come to regard my closest friends as my siblings. Many of the activities I love to do, such as play basketball or video games, are usually with my friends.
Basketball is another major part of my life. Being a Lakers fan since I’ve started watching, I’ve come to regard certain NBA players as heroes and inspirational figures. Whether its Kobe Bryant’s maniacal competitive spirit or Derrick Rose’s motivation to win, I look to emulate many of the qualities of my favorite players. I look to have these same characteristics not just in basketball, but also in my classes and career.
In the future, I hope to be an excellent physician. As a child, my parents had always desired that I grow up to be a doctor. Interestingly enough, that is the one thing that I dislike about becoming a physician. Besides that, I love everything about the field of medicine. I’ve always been amazed at the fact that physicians can not only help patients improve their health, but can actually save lives.
My cultural background, interests, and goals for the future all make up a significant part of my identity. While all of these describe different aspects of myself, it isn’t possible to sum up a person’s life in a few paragraphs. Instead, I hope that I can show more of who I am throughout the semester!
